Synthesis and Characterization of the Isocyanide Ligated Centered Zirconium Halide Cluster [(Zr6Be)Cl12(CNXyl)6]

The first isocyanide ligated hexanuclear zirconium halide cluster is reported. The unoxidized [(Zr₆Be)Cl₁₂(CNXyl)₆] (CNXyl = 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide) was obtained from the solid state precursor K₃Zr₆Cl₁₅Be by dissolution in CH₃CN in the presence of CNXyl. The CNXyl ligands occupy all the axial positions on the cluster. The compound was recrystallized from CH₂Cl₂ and Et₂O. [(Zr₆Be)Cl₁₂(CNXyl)₆].2CH₂Cl₂ crystallizes in the space group (#2) with a = 12.092(5) Å, b=12.728(5) Å, c = 14.102(8) Å, = 104.98(4)°, =107.11°, = 100.94°, V = 1919(2) ų, Z = l, R = 11.3% and R _W = 27.0%. For the bound isocyanide ligands, v _CN increases to 2140 cm^–1.     

One- or two-dimensional organometallic arrays containing PdIr2(μ3-S)2 mixed-metal sulfido cluster units connected via the nicotinamide or isonicotinamide ligands on their Pd sites through hydrogen-bonding interactions

Mixed-metal sulfido cluster [(PdCl₂)(Cp*Ir)₂(μ₃-S)₂] (Cp*=η⁵-C₅Me₅) dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ reacted with two equivalent of L (L=nicotinamide, isonicotinamide, or N-methylnicotinamide) in the presence of AgBF₄ to give the cationic clusters [(PdL₂)(Cp*Ir)₂(μ₃-S)₂][BF₄]₂. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of these products have disclosed that in the solid state the PdIr₂S₂ cores are self-assembled to form one-dimensional chains through the intermolecular hydrogen-bonding between the amide groups for L=nicotinamide or two-dimensional sheets via the hydrogen-bonding between the amide groups and the BF₄ anions for L=isonicotinamide, whereas no organization of the cluster cores is observed for L=N-methylnicotinamide.     

A Quantum Chemical Study of N14 Cluster

Ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory have been employed to study N₁₄ cluster with low spin at the HF/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G*, BP86/6-31G*, and BHLYP/6-31G* levels of theory. Twelve isomers were studied, including one previously investigated cage molecule. The most stable isomer of N₁₄ is a C _2h -symmetric molecule that contains two separated five-membered nitrogen rings connected by a —N=N—N=N— bridge. The second, third, and fifth most stable isomers each have one five-membered nitrogen ring. The theoretical results suggest that the five-membered nitrogen ring gives rise to a particularly stable structural unit, and the more side chains that the five-membered nitrogen ring links with, the less stable the structure will become.     

Local dense structural heterogeneities in liquid water from ambient to 300 MPa pressure: evidence for multiple liquid-liquid transitions.

Difference and double-difference near-infrared DO-D and HO-H stretching overtone (2nuOD and 2nuOH) spectroscopy and a rigorous (physically substantiated) band deconvolution technique were applied to reveal three different kinds of inherent (interstitial) structures of liquid water, which determine its high density (compared to ice lh under ambient conditions), its compressibility (under hydrostatic pressure, up to 300MPa), and its high fragility (manifested under temperature variation). Our data processing allowed the rigorous discrimination of up to six vibrational components. On the basis of an extensive comparative analysis combined with available structural data (X-ray and neutron scattering) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for liquid water, as well as with experimental and computed data for small non-tetrahedrally arranged water clusters, the major four components could be ascribed to: i) The basic lh icelike substructure; ii) the temperature-dependent remote interstitial "defects" due to tetrahedral displacements (primarily responsible for transport properties); iii) the interstitial "defects" most probably arranged in quasiplanar noncyclic tetramers (totally absent in the ice structure); and iv) the interstitial "defects" formed with increasing pressure, probably arranged in cubic water octamers and composed of two pairs of noncyclic and cyclic tetramer fragments. The latter structures include, essentially, bent hydrogen bonds stabilized by resonance effects.     

Structural, Electronic, and Optical Properties of Noble Metal Clusters from First Principles

We examine low-energy isomeric forms, static polarizabilities, and optical absorption spectra of Ag _n , n = 2–8, and Au _n , n = 2–3, clusters using first principles computations within the static and time-dependent versions of the density functional theory. The noticeable decrease in the static polarizabilities of Ag₇ and Ag₈ compared to the values characteristic of Ag _n , n = 2–6, is correlated with the transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional structures at n = 7. The optical spectra computed within the time-dependent local density approximation for the most stable structures are in good agreement with the available experimental data and the results of earlier theoretical studies. Optical spectra of higher-energy isomers typically present features that are not observed in the experimental spectra. The d electrons affect the spectra of noble metal clusters by quenching the oscillator strengths through screening of the s electrons and by getting directly involved in the excitations. Due to the larger s–d hybridization in Au compared to Ag, these effects are more pronounced in Au _n clusters.     

Monte Carlo simulation of phase separation and clustering in the ABV model

As a model for a binary alloy undergoing an unmixing phase transition, we consider a square lattice where each site can be either taken by an A atom, a B atom, or a vacancy (V), and there exists a repulsive interaction between AB nearest neighbor pairs. Starting from a random initial configuration, unmixing proceeds via random jumps of A atoms or B atoms to nearest neighbor vacant sites. In the absence of any interaction, these jumps occur at jump rates _A and _B, respectively. For a small concentration of vacancies (c _v=0.04) the dynamics of the structure factorS(k,t) and its first two momentsk ₁(t),k ₂ ² (t) is studied during the early stages of phase separation, for several choices of concentrationc _B of B atoms. Forc _B=0.18 also the time evolution of the cluster size distribution is studied. Apart from very early times, the mean cluster sizel(t) as well as the moments of the structure function depend on timet and the ratio of the jump rates (= _B/ _A) only via a scaled timet/(). Qualitatively, the behavior is very similar to the direct exchange model containing no vacancies. Consequences for phase separation of real alloys are briefly discussed.     

A note on differentiability of the cluster density for independent percolation in high dimensions

The cluster density function of independent percolation in ad-dimensional lattice is considered. For eachn, it is shown that(p) has finitenth leftderivative at critical probabilityp _c ifd is sufficiently large. This result agrees with the Bethe lattice approximation, where thenth one-sided derivative of(p) is bounded atp _c for alln.     

Transition metal clusters and supported species with metal-carbon bonds from first-principles quantum chemistry

We discuss the impact of density functional electronic structure calculations for understanding the organometallic chemistry of transition metal (TM) surface complexes and clusters. Examples will cover three types of systems, mainly of interest in the context of heterogeneous catalysis: (i) supported carbonyl complexes of rhenium on MgO and of rhodium in zeolites, (ii) TM clusters with CO ligands and adsorbates, and (iii) metal clusters exhibiting chemical bonds with atomic carbon. The first group of case studies promotes the concept that surface groups of oxide supports are bonded to TM complexes in the same way as common (poly-dentate) ligands are bonded in coordination compounds. The second group of examples demonstrates various “ligand effects” of TM clusters. Finally, we illustrate how carbido centers stabilize TM clusters and modify the propensity for adsorption at the surface of such clusters.     

Functionalization of the macropolyhedral borate anion cluster [B22H22]: isolation and characterization of the OH and OEt derivatives

Preparation and characterization of the first derivatives of the fused macropolyhedral anion [B₂₂H₂₂]²⁻ are reported. The species [B₂₂H₂₁OH]²⁻ (1) and [B₂₂H₂₁OEt]²⁻ (2) are obtained from workup of the products of the reaction between HgBr₂ and [NBzlEt₃]₂[B₂₂H₂₂]; a cluster involving the conjoining of a closo-B₁₂ icosahedron with a nido-B₁₀ cluster. Washing the products with ethanol followed by thin-layer chromatography allows the isolation of 1 and 2, reproducibly, in yields of 27 and 20%, respectively. The species were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray diffraction studies. The crystal structure determinations of the two species identify novel features. Apparently the influence of the O atoms in the ions [B₂₂H₂₁OH]²⁻ and [B₂₂H₂₁OEt]²⁻ results in the lengthening of what was a gunwale B---B connection adjacent to the junction of the two cages such that the distances are 2.180 and 2.230 Å, respectively. These latter are longer than the corresponding distance in the parent species [B₂₂H₂₂]²⁻, which is 2.09 Å; quite long for a normal B---B distance. Thus it is assumed that these B atoms, in 1 and 2, one of which bears the substituent, are not bonded to each other.     

A Theoretical Study of LiHe+ n , NaHe+ n , and MgHe+ n Complexes, with n=1, 2, 3, 4

The LiHe⁺ _n , the NaHe⁺ _n , and the MgHe⁺ _n complexes with n=1, 2, 3, 4 were studied using ab initio calculations with the MP2/6-311+G(3df, 3pd) method. The complexes are found to be stable. For the n=1 complexes, previous results were available and the calculations performed are in good agreement with those results. This lends credibility to the results obtained for the complexes with higher n.